Panavia Tornado

Summary

Category	Combat aircraft
Origin country	🇩🇪 Germany 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇮🇹 Italy
First flight	14 August 1974
Year of introduction	1980
Number produced	990 units
Average unit price	$30 million

Description

The Panavia Tornado is a multirole, twin-engine fighter-bomber originally developed in the late 1960s and 1970s as a joint venture among the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. The project was managed by Panavia Aircraft GmbH, a tri-national consortium. The aircraft was conceived to meet the various needs of the participating nations' air forces—primarily the Royal Air Force (UK), the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), and the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare).

The Tornado was designed to fulfill multiple roles, including air-to-air combat, ground-attack, and all-weather, day-night capabilities. It features a variable-sweep wing, allowing it to perform well at both low and high speeds, making it suitable for different types of missions. Production of the Tornado commenced in 1979, and it became operational in 1981. The aircraft has seen service in various conflicts, such as the Gulf War, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The development of the Panavia Tornado was a complex process involving multiple countries and aimed to produce an aircraft that could excel in a variety of roles. The most prominent feature to this end is its variable-geometry wings, which can be swept back and forth depending on the mission needs. This allows the Tornado to optimize its aerodynamic performance for different flight regimes: swept back for high-speed intercept missions or fully extended for low-speed ground-attack roles.

The aircraft's avionics were also groundbreaking for their time, featuring an advanced radar system and integrated electronic countermeasures to enhance survivability. The Tornado was one of the early adopters of fly-by-wire technology, which replaced manual controls with electronic interfaces, providing more precise control and freeing up the pilot to focus on mission objectives.

The powerplant comprises two turbofan engines, granting the aircraft both significant speed and thrust. To facilitate the multirole capacity, the Tornado was designed to carry a wide range of munitions and additional equipment on its hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, precision-guided munitions, and external fuel tanks for extended range.

Regarding ground-attack missions, the aircraft has a terrain-following radar that enables it to fly at extremely low altitudes, minimizing the radar cross-section and reducing the likelihood of enemy radar detection.

Through iterative development, various versions of the Tornado were produced, including the air defense variant (ADV), which was geared more towards air-to-air combat, and the ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance) variant designed for suppression of enemy air defenses and electronic warfare.

With the advance of newer multirole fighters like the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35 Lightning II, the Tornado is gradually being phased out.

Armament

The Panavia Tornado was designed to carry a wide range of ordnance, making it capable of fulfilling diverse combat roles. Here are some of its key armament options:

Air-to-Air Missiles: The Tornado can be equipped with short- to medium-range air-to-air missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder and the Skyflash for self-defense and limited air superiority roles.
Air-to-Surface Missiles: For ground-attack missions, it can carry the AGM-65 Maverick, the Brimstone, and the Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile. These missiles provide the Tornado with the ability to engage both hardened and soft targets with precision.
Bombs: The aircraft has the capability to deliver a variety of bombs including laser-guided bombs (LGBs), cluster bombs, and general-purpose bombs. This allows the Tornado to perform precision strikes as well as area bombings.
Anti-Ship Missiles: In its anti-shipping role, the Tornado can be armed with the AS.34 Kormoran or the Sea Eagle missiles to engage naval targets at range.
Anti-Radar Missiles: The Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance) variant specializes in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions and can carry the AGM-88 HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile) to target enemy radar installations.
Gun: The Tornado is fitted with a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon for close combat scenarios and strafing runs.
External Fuel Tanks and ECM Pods: Besides armaments, the Tornado can also carry external fuel tanks for extended range and electronic countermeasure (ECM) pods to enhance survivability against enemy air defenses.

Operational history

The Panavia Tornado has had a long operational history since its introduction in 1981. It has served with the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, among others, and has been deployed in multiple conflict zones.

Gulf War (1990-1991): One of its first major deployments was during Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq. Tornados from the UK and Italy performed ground-attack missions, focusing on airfields, communication lines, and fortifications.

Bosnia and Kosovo (1990s): Tornados participated in NATO operations over Bosnia and Kosovo, providing air support and conducting strikes against ground targets as part of the efforts to halt ethnic cleansing and enforce UN resolutions.

Iraq (2003-2011): Tornados were again in action during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, targeting key infrastructure and providing close air support for coalition troops.

Afghanistan (2001-2014): Tornados were deployed as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to support operations in Afghanistan.

Libya (2011): During the Libyan Civil War, Tornados from the UK and Italy participated in the NATO-led operation to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians.

Syria (2014-2015): German Tornados were deployed in a non-combat reconnaissance role to support international operations against ISIS.

Variants

Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike): This is the original ground-attack variant designed for deep penetration missions against high-value targets. It has the capability to carry a variety of air-to-surface munitions and is equipped with a terrain-following radar.
Tornado ADV (Air Defense Variant): This variant is tailored for air defense and interception roles. It features an extended fuselage to accommodate a more powerful radar and is capable of carrying long-range air-to-air missiles like the Skyflash and the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Tornado GR (Ground-Attack/Reconnaissance): This is an upgrade of the IDS variant, primarily used by the Royal Air Force. It includes enhanced avionics, improved weapon systems, and the ability to carry newer precision-guided munitions.
Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance): Specialized for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and electronic warfare, this variant is capable of detecting and targeting enemy radar installations. It is often equipped with the AGM-88 HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile).
Tornado MRCA (Multi-Role Combat Aircraft): This designation is sometimes used to refer to the initial versions that were designed to fulfill multiple roles. However, it is less commonly used as specific variants were developed for specialized tasks.
Tornado F3: This is an upgrade of the ADV variant used by the Royal Air Force, featuring improved avionics, radar, and enhanced air-to-air capabilities.

Technical specifications

Version: Tornado GR.4
Crew	1 pilot + 1 WSO
Operational range	3800 km (2361 mi)
Maximum speed	2420 km/h (1504 mph)
Wing area	26.6 m² (286.3 sqft)
Wingspan	13.9 m (45.6 ft)
Height	6.0 m (19.5 ft)
Length	16.7 m (54.9 ft)
Service ceiling	15240 m (50000 ft)
Empty weight	13890 kg (30622 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	28000 kg (61729 lbs)
Climb rate	76.7 m/s (251.6 ft/s)
Powerplant	2 × turbojets Turbo-Union RB.199-34R Mk 103 delivering 4468 kgp, up to 7834 kgp with afterburner
Ejection seat	Martin-Baker Mk 10